Tuesday, May 19, 2009

After the recent jolt by the voters Mayawati and her party BSP are in a great shock. She is blaming Muslims for her set back that may either had left her as a PM of India, as she had dreamt. But why only Muslims, why doesn’t she blame herself for her failure.

None other but Mayawati herself is to be blamed. She over estimated her success in the assembly polls held some two years ago in Uttar Pradesh. Instead of consolidating her position she started day dreaming. What have she done for the state during her rule and especially for the Muslims that she is so annoyed?Muslims had overwhelmingly supported her during the last elections but she did nothing for the welfare of the biggest minority in the state. Instead he credited her success to her social engineering formulae and Brahmin-Dalit support. She ignored the fact that without Muslims her successes haven’t been possible, especially if Muslims had gone with Samajwadi Party who lost about ninety seats with the margin of less then thousand votes. What she did for Muslims can be estimated by going through these facts.1. She nominated five of her men to Rajya Sabha and none of them was a Muslim. In the name of minority a non-Muslim was appointed and not from the U.P but of Punjab2. More then hundred of her men were appointed chairmen and deputy chairman to various corporations granting them all the status of state minister but the Muslims were less then one percent of the total.3. Only two or three Muslims could find their place in the state cabinet which was almost shameful in comparison to the Muslim support to her party who even voted for her non-Muslim candidates in the name of secularism which Brahmins may never have did.4. The scholarships for the students were curbed almost to half of which worst affected were Muslims. Also no action was taken against the culprits o scholarship scam.5. No development work was undertaken in the Muslim localities. Even in the areas like Bijnore district where party bagged seven out of eight assembly seats.6. The Madarsa modernization plan was put to cold bag and no step was taken for the reform in minority education.7. Urdu teachers were deprived of their jobs for which hey have to run door to street and found themselves engaged in the court proceedings. The worst affected were the Muslims again.8. Mayawati cannot count even a one new school, college or hospital in Muslims localities of the state.9. In the name of revenge Kanya Vidhyadhan scheme was abandoned. Most of the beneficiaries to the scheme were Dalits, Backwards and the Muslims10. No development work was undertaken during her regime except that of Ambedkar Park and statues.Now for what she is blaming the Muslims is above understanding of a common Muslim like me. Along with the above mentioned reasons her administration filed to deliver some better from the previous one. She was crowned with much higher expectations to curb the crime rate and corruption in the state and to bring it back on the right track that a stable government can only do. In the name of crime control no FIR’s are being lodged. No registration of crime can only result in the juggling of statistics and not in the real change.India needs Prime Minister with a vision for the country not a juggler or merely a demagogue. For the purpose Mayawati has to go very long. I don’t mean that she cant be a Prime Minister. She can but she has to make some extra ordinary efforts. Merely by blaming others and claiming herself a daughter of Dalit being hurdled by bourgeois isn’t enough. This will only lead to further decline. Even the Dalits who are better educated then ever and more liberalized in thought will not tolerate this for long. If their expectations remain unfulfilled they will surely go for an alternative. In such condition whom will she blame?

Saturday, May 16, 2009

People are fed up of hate politics and the era of political blackmailing is over. The mandate of election2009 is quite crystal clear. There is no place for political bargainers and the people want to break their deals without any mediator. These elections have also brought to an end the bargaining power of politicians, especially from Bihar.For last few days we were hearing a lot about the kingmakers but the public has turned them to pawns of no use. I am afraid what will Lalu ji, Ramvilas Paswan and Nitish Kumar will do now. They are left with no job. For last few days they were doing quite well in media and earned lot of media space. Surely this will continue for few more days. This time not for good but they will be in news for their sympathetic condition. Ramvilas Pasvan was running the Ministry of Steel and fertilizer as his private ownership. Similar was with Lalu ji. Now they will have to run street to square for at least three years, jobless and without media attention. Till the next assembly elections in Bihar the Kingmaker duo cane play chess because they will still have a spare time after meditation and brainstorming sessions over their defeat in Bihar. Lalu ji will face more problems because now they are left with no limelight. Even the shadows depart in bad times. Lalu is now government less, ministry less and relatives less creature (as Sadhu etc. were cunning enough to leave him alone)There is a suggestion for Lalu ji. He can open a Charvaha School in Patliputra where he can revise his election management lessons. He can ask for the help from his associates from Railway ministry who had projected him as media guru.There is one more regional Satrap from Bihar Nitish Kumar must surely be thinking about his spoken words of last few days. He was asking for the special status for Bihar in lieu of his support (although practically this was more an offer of special status for himself). He is surely a loser now. Had he opted to go with UPA and had put some restrictions on his actions and words (including a famous handshake with Narendra Modi) he must have been the happiest man today. Like Lalu he also missed the train. Lalu may have been well adjusted by UPA respectfully hadn’t he dumped the Congress in Bihar coalition. Even his act must have ignored but he was to dig his own grave later by uncontrolled flow of his words. He may regret now and may find some plac3e in the new government but surely he has no ethical right to do so. Similar is with Paswan and Nitish.This may end up in the political death of bargaining Bihar. For the first time in the History of democratic India, Bihar will have no say in the central politics. Surely no rail will run through Bihar nor any ministry, and all thanks to the outspoken Bihar leadership.The Bihar will be the real loser, the state that is in grave urgency of development. Nitish may have some reasons to satisfy himself (the Bihar government and the good M.P count) but this is not enough for the poor Bihari people who have often been embarrassed by their political leadership. The Bihari leaders to their credit only have a long tongue and demagogy that in turn have ruined the state over years. It will be wrong to say that they weren’t given any opportunity. They got more then they deserved but they didn’t use it for the people’s welfare, rather they used it for their personal gains.Now the time has come when these people should understand the people’s demand. Especially Lalu ji and Paswan should use their time for strengthening themselves with people’s support. The defeat they have faced should be treated as an ample opportunity to reconsolidate their positions; otherwise they will be lost into the pages of history as many of the signs of the world’s oldest democracy Patliputra

Friday, May 15, 2009

Real secularism and not opportunism is in favour of India as a nation. Hardliners neither survive long nor do they achieve high positions. A secular ideology and having harmonious relations with fellow citizens can only lead the country to development..COMMUNALISM HAS hit hard General Elections 2009 in India and there was a clear divide among the voters on communal lines, especially in the constituencies where opponents were of different religion. It is a harmful symptom as a communal divide may divide the country.It won’t be wrong to call Indian politics a pure reflection of Machiavellism. Indian politicians draft and redraft their own definitions. The worst thing is that the same manipulation has been inherited and perfectly obeyed by the voters.Secularism may have different meanings around the globe as in India. One of the meanings we perceive is the one which asks us to follow our own path but without encroaching on others’ territory. In Indian politics, these very definitions have been perceived in different manipulated forms.Recently, we came to know that opposing BJP and allies is pure secularism. No matter you share the same platform with the BJP or Shiv Sena for as much time, but to be called secular one just need to switch the flanks. Overnight the party will be declared secular despite its past allegiances.Kalyan Singh is the new face of secularism and the new one in the making is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Just wait for three more days and there are many surprise gifts for the voters who have just voted for India.Although it was a good experience for a person like me to see the supporters of Kalyan Singh voting for Zafar Alam of the Samajwadi Party, a Muslim. It is not a usual scene in Indian politics. Our politicians have fragmented it and a clear demarcation line on communal lines is visible all over.Somehow, I am proud of the Muslims as they usually vote for their Hindu leaders. The only reservation they have is about the parties like the BJP or the Shiv Sena, rest they have no objections regarding the caste, color, creed or religion. On the other hand, I am upset about the role of majority.Being a secular and having harmonious relations with the minorities is more in their favour. It is not just a claim but I can prove my point. Just go through the past results. The secular Hindu leaders have not only been victorious from Muslim-dominated localities but have also secured a distinct position.Real secularism and not opportunism is in favour of India as a nation. Hardliners neither survive long nor do they achieve high positions. Not many remember Vinay Katiyar and his fate. A one-time icon of hard-line Hinduism, he was denied in the city of Lord Rama (Faizabad/Ayodhya) itself. Murli Manohar Joshi is another example. We will continue with the debate and I am hopeful that one day many will join me in the movement of secularizing India at the ground level.